Chill out with the fascinating history behind ice cream, the first in a fact-tastic Level 3 Ready-to-Read nonfiction series about the history of fun stuff! Did you know that immigrants to Ellis Island were served ice cream as part of their first meal in America? Or that George Washington spent more than $200 on ice cream during the summer of 1790? Learn all about the cool history of everyone’s favorite frozen treat in this fun, fact-filled Level 3 reader. A special section at the back of the book includes relevant info on subjects like geography and science, and there’s even a fun quiz so you can test yourself to see what you’ve learned! Gr 1–3—What could be more scrumptious than a bowl of ice cream? Perhaps a brief history on the frozen treat. This tasty treat of a read begins with the murky origin of the food, dating back nearly 2,000 years. From there, readers explore how ice cream came to America and how the evolution of technology and industry brought the creation of this sweet dish from a painstaking process to a standard household item. The book ends with a fun quiz that tests what readers have learned. The book itself is full of interesting trivia that any ice cream lover will enjoy. Though it's marketed as a beginning reader title, it's definitely not one for younger and less skilled students. The text itself is long, with lots of new vocabulary. The illustrations are lively and amusing but are cursory to the text. Some of the historical figures may elude the knowledge of readers, but the book briefly introduces each with a concise and comprehensible introduction. VERDICT Those up for the challenge will enjoy the fun facts, and students making their first foray into school reports may find it helpful.—Kaitlin Connors, Virginia Beach Public Library Bonnie Williams is a children’s book editor and writer who lives in New York City with her two snuggly cats, Mushie and Jacob. When she isn’t working, her favorite activities include going to the theater, ice skating, and reading (of course)! Scott Burroughs started his career at Disney and has illustrated everything from children’s books to advertisements and editorials. He is also the published author of several children’s books. He lives in Denver, Colorado, with his wife and sons.